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I sigh, nodding again. “Okay. But call me the moment you know anything.”
I hang up and stare at my phone for a moment, trying to push down the guilt clawing at my chest. It’s getting hard to juggle everything and this is just the beginning.
I glance at the clock again, knowing I have to pull myself together before Andrew walks in. As if on cue, the intercom buzzes, jolting me out of my thoughts.
“Emily?” Catherine’s voice comes through, calm and efficient. “Mr. Bennett is here.”
I take a fortifying breath. “Please show him in.”
The door opens a moment later, and Andrew walks in, all businesslike, with Catherine trailing behind him. I smile, rising from my desk.
“Andrew,” I say, motioning toward Catherine. “This is Catherine, my PA. She’ll be assisting you as well, while you’re working here at Riviera.”
Andrew nods curtly. “Good to meet you, Catherine.”
Catherine flashes him a polite smile before turning back to me. “Anything else you need?”
“No, thank you. That’ll be all for now,” I say, and she leaves us alone, the door clicking shut behind her.
I glance at Andrew. He’s still distant, his posture stiff. The coolness between us isn’t lost on me, and I know why. I feel terrible about skipping lunch with his family yesterday, but it had flown rightout the window the second I walked into my parents’ house and saw my father in such a bad state. I can’t explain it to him, though, and that gnaws at me even more.
“Let me show you to your office,” I say, gesturing toward the door. “I’ve also organized a meeting with the team.”
Andrew follows me as I lead him next door. “Good,” he says, his voice clipped but businesslike. “But I want to tour the hotels as soon as possible. I need to see firsthand what we’re working with.”
I nod. “Of course. We can schedule that after the meeting.”
I open the door to his new office, stepping aside so he can enter first. As he walks by, I catch a whiff of his cologne. It’s a citrus scent that make me want to move close to him and inhale deeper.
Pushing away those thoughts, I follow him in. The space is modern, and spacious, with large windows overlooking the city. I hold my breath, waiting for Andrew’s verdict.
Andrew scans the room briefly before giving a slight nod of approval.
I hate his coldness and wish I could explain everything to him.
But I can’t. “Let me know if you need anything before the meeting.”
Andrew barely glances my way. Instead, he sits down and clicks on the monitor in front of him. We loaded it with all the information he needs to see how The Riviera group is run.
“I’ll let you know,” he says.
I step out of the office, closing the door quietly behind me, my heart sinking as I walk back to my own desk. I knew he would be upset but I hoped my apology last night would suffice.
Clearly not.
An hour later, I’m still at my desk responding to emails when Catherine’s voice comes through the intercom again. “The team is in the conference room.”
“Thanks. Have you let Mr. Bennett know?” I ask.
“Yes, he’s on his way there,” Catherine says.
I leave my office and head to the conference room. Everyone is already seated and I walk in as Andrew is introducing himself. I take a seat next to him.
“Thank you all for coming,” I begin, my voice steady as I glance around the room. “As you know, we’re here to give Andrew a comprehensive briefing on the current state of the Riviera Group. Amy, would you like to start?”
Amy, the Director of Operations, leans forward, her expression serious. “As Director of Operations, I’ve been closely monitoring all our properties, and frankly, we’re facing significant challenges.
“Every one of our properties is underperforming. Outdated facilities are taking a toll on guest satisfaction, which in turn is impacting our bookings.”